Snap-hook



(No Model.) I

' D. M. SRAM-AN.

SNAP HOOK.

No. 341,608. Patented May 11,1886.

v N. PETEns. Phumrumogmplver. wnahingm, D. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

DANIEL M. SEAMAN, OF VOODIIAIEN, NEWT YORK.

SNAP-HOOK.

SIDECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NoA 341,608, dated May 11, l886 Application led October 12, 1895.

,To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL M. SEAMAN, of W'oodhaven, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Snap-Hooks, of which the following is such a full, clear, concise, and exact description as will enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same', reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates more especially to that class of snap-hooks which are used on harness for connecting the reins or straps to the bridle or other rings. The snap-hooks heretofore in use for such purposes have been made with a iiat spring or tongue secured to the shank near the eye, or that part to which the strap is connected, such spring being made to extend to and bear against the terminus of the curve or hook upon the outer or opposite end of the shank. The ring in such cases has been admitted to the hook by depressing the spring so that it would pass between the same and the terminus of the hook, and when the ring passed beyond the end of the spring or tongue, s0 as to become free from contact with the same, such spring would then return to its normal position. The objections attending the use of such snap-hooks have been chietiy that the spring would in time lose its elasticity and refuse to return toits proper and necessary position when the ring passed between it and the terminus of the hook, and consequently the ring would be liable to es cape from the hook whenever the reins or straps were slack, thus disconnecting them from the bridle or parts to which they should be attached. In addition to this the hook itself rwould sometimes break when the ring was caught between it and the spring, so that a sidewise movement or sudden jerk would bring a leverage to bear upon it.

The object of my invention is to make asnaphook which will be more secure than those heretofore in use, and which may have a double grip upon the ring, by means whereof greater strength and durability are added; and my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Figure l of the drawings is a side elevation ,side each other.

Serial No. l (l,:' 2. (No model.)

of my improved snap hook, having a part thereof shown in section, in order to present to view an interior spring-connection for retain ing the lever or movable arm in position with relation to the hook formed upon the shank extending from the eye, and showing also by dotted lines the course of the movement of the lever when the spring is contracted. Fig. 2 is a plan view of my snap-hook, upon which the lines a: w y represent or indicate that portion which iu Fig. l is cut away, leaving the section appearing in that ligure.

In the drawings, A represents the eye, or that part to which the strap or rein is connected; and B, the shank or extension leading from the eye and terminating in a curve, which forms the hook proper.

C represents a lever or arm, which in the drawings is shown as terminating in a curve, and also forming a hook, such hook being the reverse of but corresponding to the hook upon the shank B, so that when the lever() is in its normal position thetwo hooks will come along The shank or lever C has its axis or fulcrum 0na pin, d, passing through lugs c c, which extend upwardly from the shank B at a point near the eye.

Beneath the lever C, and between the lugs e e, I prefer to make a recess adapted to contain a small spiral spring, j", which is connected at one end to the short arm of the lever C by passing over a small lug, g, the other end thereof being made to bear against the outward wall of this recess. As a matter of convenience, I prefer also to make a small stud, h, on the rear end of the short arm of the lever G, so that this lever may be actuated by pressing upon this stud h, thus raising the outward end of the lever to the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. l, while at the same time such movement of the lever contracts the spring. Vhen the lever is in this position, the ring may be made to pass between the hook on the shank B and the lever C or its hook, and by removing the pressure upon thc short arm of the lever the springf will be given an opportunity of expanding, and its expansion will bring the lever into its normal position, so that the two hooks rest alongside each other, and the ring will in such casehave its bearing upon both hooks, and there will be a double grip, as it were, upon the ring.

IOO

Suchaconstruction will not only add strength l verse of the hook of the shank B, suoli leverzo to the hook, but it will be impossible for the ring to become released until it passes far enough back between the shank and the lever to clear both hooks, and it could not then es cape unless the lever were raised so as to admit ofits passage out. These conditions would not occur Without the action of' a person desiring to disconnect the ring 'from the hook, and consequently such a snaphook would be absolutely secure.

Having thus described my invention, what I cla-ini as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a snap-hook, the shank B, the outer Y end of which forms a hook, said shank being` provided with lugs d, in combination with a lever-arm, C, the outer end of which also l'ornis a hook corresponding` to and the con arm being` pivoted to the lugs of said shank, and a spring, f, adapted to retain the leverarm in position, substantially as described.

2. In a snap-hook, the combination of the shank B, the outer end of which forms a hook, said shank being` provided with lugs d, a spring,

1", retained between said lugs, and a lever-arm,

C, the outer end of which forms allook corresponding to and the converse of the hook of the shank B, said leverarm being provided with alug, g, to which the springf is attached, and being pivoted to the lugs d of the shank B, substantially as described.

DANIEL M. SEAMAN.

lVitnesses:

HUBERT A. BANNING, EDWRD F. ToURTnLLo'r'rn. 

